Lack of sleep at the age of 45 can further impair cognitive function by age 65, a study has found.
This is a study result published by a research team at the University of Helsinki in Finland in the international academic journal ≪Journal of Aging and Health≫.
The research team conducted insomnia symptoms, memory, learning ability, and concentration tests on 3,700 people living in Helsinki for 15 to 17 years.
As a result, it was found that those who suffered from severe insomnia at the age of 45 or older had a further decline in cognitive function when they reached the age of 65 or older. The longer the duration of insomnia in middle age, the greater the decline in cognitive function.
The research team believes that getting a good night’s sleep without insomnia in middle age is a good way to maintain cognitive ability in old age.
To prevent cognitive decline in old age, early medical intervention is needed in middle-aged people with insomnia.
However, breaking the insomnia cycle and getting a good night’s sleep is very challenging for medical scientists. Sleeping well is important to keep brain health in the long run, but more research is needed on how it can actually help overcome insomnia.
Currently available treatments for insomnia include drug treatment and non-pharmacological treatment. The first method you should try is non-pharmacological treatment that checks your lifestyle and sleep patterns. Maintain a consistent daily sleep pattern, minimize naps, and avoid activities that interfere with sleep. In addition, you can try cognitive behavioral therapy with the help of a specialist so that you do not feel compelled to sleep.
There may be causative diseases or comorbidities that make it difficult to fall asleep, so it is necessary to find the cause through polysomnography.
Sleeping pills are not fundamental treatment. It can be helpful for temporary insomnia, but more fundamental treatment is needed for chronic insomnia. If you arbitrarily take medications, you can make your insomnia worse, so you must take it under the guidance of a specialist. Prescription drugs such as zolpidem can cause psychological dependence, so you should follow your doctor’s instructions carefully.
By Moon Se-young, staff reporter [email protected]
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